Mail-marking machine.



T. G. STODDARD.

MAIL MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.26. 1912.

1,152,347. Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

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'I'HQMrlS G. STODDARD, 015 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THEAMERICAN POSTAL MACHINE$ COMPANY, 015 BOSTON, lllEl-TSSAGH'I'ISETTS, AGORPORATION 0F MATNE.

MAIL-MARKING" MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug; 31, 1915.

Application filed December 26, 1912. Serial 110. 738,528.

To all whom it may concern 7 Be it known that T, THOMAS Gr. S'roDDARD, acitizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Mail-Marking Machines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

The invention relates to mail marking machines, and more particularly tomechanism for controlling the operation of the die carrying roll.

The object of the invention is to provide novel and improved devicesthrough which the rotation of the die carrying roll may be controlled ,1by the mail matter passing through the machine, and to this end theinvention comprises the features of construction and combinations ofparts hereinafter described and referred to in the claims.

The invention will be readily understood from an inspection of theaccompanying drawings and the following detailed description of themechanism illustrated therein. p

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view showing a mail marking machineembodying the invention in its preferred form; Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional View through the die carrying roll; Fig. 3 is a detailview ofthe latches for controlling the rotation of the die carrying roll; and Fig. 4: is a detail view of the sleeve on which the stops for the diecarrying roll are formed.

In the machine illustrated, the letters or other pieces of mail matterare fed in succession between the die carrying roll 1 and the impressionroll 2 by feed rolls 3, and are delivered from the marking rolls to astacking device 1 by the delivery rolls 5. The die carrying roll isprovided with the usual stamp canceling and post marking die 6, and issecured upon a sleeve 7 mounted to turn freely upon a stationary shaft8. The hub of the sleeve 7 issurrounded by a rotary driving sleeve 9,the upper end of which carries a friction ring 10 adapted to engage aflange 11 on the sleeve 7 and to transmit motion to the sleeve. The diecarrying roll is 'normally held against rotation and is released andstopped by devices operated by the letters passing between the feedrolls 3. In the construction shown, the devices for controlling therotation of the die carrying roll comprise two stops 12 and 13 formed ona collar 14 which is secured to the roll carrying sleeve 7, so that thestops move withthe marking die. The stops are arranged in differentplanes, higher plane than the stop 18. The stops cooperate with twolatches 15 and 16, which are formed on a pivoted arm 17 and are soarranged that movement of one latch out of the path of the cooperatingstop brings the other latch into the path of its cooperating stop. Thelatches are rendered alternately and successively active and inactive bya finger 18 carried by the arm 17 and arranged to extend across theletter path between the feed rollsS. The controlling finger 18 and thelatches are held normally in the position indicated in Fig. 1 by aspring 19, one end of which is connected to the arm 17, and the otherend of which is connected to the base plate 20 of the machine. 1

When no letter is passing through the machine, the parts are in theposition indicated in Fig.1, with the controlling finger 18 extendingacross the letter path, and with the stop 12 in engagement with thelatch 15.

VVhenthe forward end of a letter strikes the finger 18 it swings the arm17 about its pivot, thus disengaging the latch 15 from the stop 12, sothat the marking die is released and is rotated by the frictionalengagement of the driving sleeve 9 with the die carrying sleeve 7. Themovement of the arm 17 which disengages the latch 15 from the stop 12also brings the latch 16 into the path of the stop 13, so that therotation of the marking die is arrested by the engagement of the stop 13with the latch 16 after it has nearly completed a. revolution. The partsare held in this position by the engagement of the letter with thefinger 18 until the rear end of the letter passes beyond the finger,when the spring 19 swings'the arm 17 back into the position indicated inFig. 1. This returns the finger 18 into position across the letter path,disengages the latch 16 from the stop 13, and brings the latch 15 intothe path of the stop 12. When the latch 16 is disengaged from the stop13 the die carrying roll completes its revolution, bringing the stopl2-into engagement with I the latch 15, so that the parts are reset inposition for properly markingthe succeedconnected with .the die tocooperate with the ing letter. I I

While it is preferred to employ the specific construction andarrangement of parts shown and described, it will be Understood thatthis construction and arrangement are not essentlal, and may be variedand modified without departing from the broader latches instopping andreleasing the die,

and'means operating when engaged by the letter to renderonelatchinactive and the other active, and operating when released by theletter torender the latter latchinactive and the former again active. 1

3. A mail 'marking machine, having, in combination, a rotary markingdie, two stops connected to rotate therewith, two cooperating latches,and a controlling finger arranged across the letter path and connectedto shift the latches alternatelyinto and out of the paths of thecorresponding stops by its movement back and forth across the letterpath.

4. A mail marking machine, having, in combination, a rotary marking die,two stops connected to rotate therewith and arranged in differentplanes, a pivoted arm provided with latches arranged to be movedalternately into and out of the paths of the stops, and a finger carriedby the arm and extending across the letter path.

5. A mail marking machine, having, in combination, a rotary marking die,two latches for alternately stopping the roll, a letter engaging deviceconnected to render one latch inactive and the other active When engagedby the letter, and to render the latter latch inactive and the formeragain active when the letter has passed.

6. A mail marking machine, having, in combination, a rotary marking die,a latch for holding the die in normalposition, a finger extending acrossthe letter path and connected to move the latch out of active positionwhen moved out of the letter path and into active position when returnedto initial position, and a second latch connected to be moved. into andout of active position in alternation with the first latch.

' THOMAS G. STODDARD.

Witnesses:

IRA L. FISH,

H. D. MOPHAIL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. G.

